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Isaiah 9:2-7 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.

3 You have multiplied the nation And increased its joy; They rejoice before You According to the joy of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil. 4 For You have broken the yoke of his burden And the staff of his shoulder, The rod of his oppressor, As in the day of Midian. 5 For every warrior's sandal from the noisy battle, And garments rolled in blood, Will be used for burning and fuel of fire.

6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.  NKJV

Here we have a prophesy of the coming messiah.

Acts 9:3

They rejoice before You According to the joy of harvest, this is a beautiful figure; and is found frequently in ancient writings. The harvest was a time of exultation and joy, and was commonly gathered amid songs and rejoicings, and concluded with a festival.

The coming messiah would be a time of harvest.

Everything about the coming of Jesus to this world speaks of provision.

He is the Jehovah Jireh

Genesis 22:13-14  And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son but God provided a Ram.

The Ram speaks of the kingship of Christ.

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

 We see here the different names given to describe the life and ministry of Jesus.

Wonderful

Counsellor (This is a rank of honour not counsellor in the sense of personable helper)

Mighty God

Everlasting Father. (This is not referring to being God the father but to being the father of the eternal age.)

[The everlasting Father] The Chaldee renders this expression, 'The man abiding forever.' The Vulgate, 'The Father of the future age.' Lowth, 'The Father of the everlasting age.' Literally, it is the Father of eternity,

Prince of Peace.

Jesus was born to die. Is that the whole truth? ………………….

……………………………………………………………………………..

 
Jesus was born to be king.

He was not only born to be the saviour of the world but to be crowned king of kings and Lord of Lords.

Rev 19:12-16 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

(13)  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

(14)  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

(15)  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

(16)  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

There will be no other kingdoms on the earth except our Gods.

Rev 1:5-6  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

(6)  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

We were born to be kings.

God wants to bring his people from Babes to kings.

(1) Born as a baby

Luke 2 (11) 

New life The Gift of the father

(2) Grew into a child

Luke 2:40 

The grace of the father

(3) He stepped into Sonship

Matthew 3:14-17

Obedient to the father

(4) He became a shepherd

Mar 6:34

The heart of the father

(5) He Became The Prophet

John 6:10-15 11

The voice of the Father

 (6) He Became The Priest

Heb 2:15-18 

The sacrifice of the father

(7) He is King of Kings

Rev 19:12-16

The Joy of the Father

(1) Born as a baby

1Pe 2:1-2  Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

(2)  As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.

 When a person accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior they become born again.

 John 3:3-6  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

(4)  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

(5)  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

(6)  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

We begin our Christian life as babies in Christ.

 (1)   Babies need care

 Luk 2:8-12  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

(9)  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

(10)  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

(11)  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

(12)  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

 
A babe is humanity in the form of great weakness and dependence; no one is more absolutely dependent than a newborn babe; everything has to be done for it.  Jesus came in as a dependent Infant, receiving all from God through the loving care of His mother.

There are many areas of our lives that we need to develop and grow when we first become Christians. We need not be ashamed but rather realize we will grow.

Gal 6:1-2  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

(2)  Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

 
You cannot leave a baby to care for itself it needs those who will watch over and care them

(2)   Babies are immature

–adjective

 
Babies are allowed to be immature.

Characteristics of a lack of maturity; 1 immature behavior 2: lacking in development; 3 immature plans; 4 an unformed character

1Co 3:1-3 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

(2)  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

(3)  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

(3) Babies grow

Paul wrote to the Galation church who where immature and being led astray

Gal 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

In the Message it reads.

Gal 4:19  Do you know how I feel right now, and will feel until Christ's life becomes visible in your lives? Like a mother in the pain of childbirth.

We see here the more we grow in Christ the more the image of Christ is seen in our lives.

The world needs to see people who act just like Jesus.

John said

Joh 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease

1Jo 3:1-3 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

(2)  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

(3)  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

He shall appear = revelation of who he is

Confession

I am a new creature; old things have been passed away. In am growing in Christ. I shall be like Him.